813AM: Woke up and still NewsGator is broken…I’m seriously thinking it was a waste of $19…

344PM: So finally after about 24 hours of crap, I think I got the NewsGator fixed. It required uninstalling the update, reinstalling the old version and getting the support technicians to send me the license key. Ugh. At least I get a year extra on my subscription!

425PM: Done for the week…AHHH

8PM: Signed up for 5 yoga classes. Beginning July 1st (that’s right, tomorrow), I’m working on my goal to lose 20 pounds before next July. The goal is to look pretty healthy before the 10 year high school reunion…And I should be healthier than I am anyway…

419PM: UGH…So I love NewsGator and all…So I thought ‘Hey, there’s an update, let’s download that bad boy’… And now my NG account is zeroed out and it says I have no license, so I can’t even reinstall 2.0!! UGH …

849PM: So I submit the support request thing for the NewsGator…And the guy at the support desk starts replacing all my subscriptions on the Online version. WHICH IS NOT WHAT MY PROBLEM IS! I posted a message that I wanted my $19 back or 2.0 back, at least it worked…

The BrockCast is on the BrockNet BrockCast page or via your RSS aggregator. This cast I talk about the in-Laws, a bird’s nest, BrockNet Headquarters, baseball, Mr. Jones’ change of heart, Biden for President in 2k8, Bolton; UN or Bust and the Flag Protection Act. I also discuss potential changes to the BrockCast and request listener feedback.

820AM: Got my desk set up and started to get it organized…There’s just enough room in the hutch for my books. It’s already been deemed the ‘BrockNet Headquarters’…Sweet.

Schedule is a little off as I’m in the ISU during the AM and at a Drive Safely brief in the PM. The good news is…I can probably skip out early.

The Braves are tied with Philly in second at 3 games back from the Nationals…I should watch more baseball.

1005AM: The closer the Senate gets to the Independence Day recess, the more I’m convinced the WH will appoint him…

WASHINGTON (AP) — – The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that local governments may seize people’s homes and businesses — even against their will — for private economic development.

The full article is here

Granted to government has always had the right to eminent domain, but to take private development? That means, the corporate entities that offer the city/county and even state or federal officials the biggest kick-back (couched in very safe terms, I’m sure) will take your land for a new Starbucks, Barnes and Noble or mall…

752AM: I just read this article from The Washington Post…The DoD has contracted a company to build and maintain a database of high school students (age 16-18) in order to better target recruiting…

The Defense Department began working yesterday with a private marketing firm to create a database of high school students ages 16 to 18 and all college students to help the military identify potential recruits in a time of dwindling enlistment in some branches.

This is the article

And here are a few nuggets…

Privacy advocates said the plan appeared to be an effort to circumvent laws that restrict the government’s right to collect or hold citizen information by turning to private firms to do the work.

School systems that fail to provide that information risk losing federal funds, although individual parents or students can withhold information

Under the new system, additional data will be collected from commercial data brokers, state drivers’ license records and other sources, including information already held by the military.

“Using multiple sources allows the compilation of a more complete list of eligible candidates to join the military,” according to written statements provided by Pentagon spokeswoman Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke [...]

The overall gall, of the DoD to wiggle its way out of being restricted by the Privacy Act is the contract out the work…You have got to be kidding me.
It is utterly insane and unbelievable to me that someone at the DoD would think that to collect this information is okay…

314PM: First, Frist (R, Senate Majority Leader) says ‘No more votes’ on Bolton…But after a tasty lunch with President Bush, his tune changed to ‘One more try…’… Ostensibly, in order to make the Dems look like ‘obstructionists’ into the Independence Day Recess, so that the WH can make the recess appointment and make it seem that they’re doing it under duress…Which is crap, but, that’s how it works. Sen Pat Roberts (R) feels that a recess appointed Bolton will make the US look weak and undermine his ability to work in the UN. Which is probably true, but Bush’s man will still be in the position for 18 months…

853AM: Too much sleep, not enough baseball and no relief in sight.

I went to bed pretty early (midnight) and overslept…I didn’t have any dreams that I remember, which is good…

I’m frustrated with the website I manage at the FRO. The website developer is deployed to Iraq and even when he was here, he wasn’t much help. All I want is access to my document library…Is that too much to ask? I feel like I’ve been smashing my head against a wall…Ugh…

223AM: First day of summer…The Braves are in 3rd by 4 and a half…The Nationals are in the lead. Doing great for a new team in an old stadium.

Got the book Emma sent. It’s ‘Eats, Shoots and Leaves’. She even dedicated it, inside to me, from ‘The Grammar Bitch’. She’s great!

Apparently, I have insomnia…UGH…

Good news…the vote for cloture failed in the Senate again! The Republicans lost Voinovich, but the Dems didn’t close on Pryor…Lieberman and Feinstein (courted by the WH) stayed true, surprisingly. I’m even more worried about a recess appointment though…